


Sometimes You Must Go Back

by xtremeroswellian



Series: Who I Am, What I'll Become [7]
Category: Angel: the Series, Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV)
Genre: Buffy's pretty bitchy here, Cordelia Chase has feelings, Cordy to the rescue, Gen, HBIC Cordelia Chase, I did my own thing with Glory, Returning to Sunnydale, Vampires
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-24
Updated: 2020-04-24
Packaged: 2021-03-02 02:34:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,583
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23827687
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xtremeroswellian/pseuds/xtremeroswellian
Summary: Cordelia returns to Sunnydale to help save Buffy's sister Dawn.
Relationships: Past Buffy Summers/Angel, Past Cordelia Chase/Xander Harris
Series: Who I Am, What I'll Become [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1716577
Kudos: 6





	Sometimes You Must Go Back

**Author's Note:**

> This takes place somewhere in season five of Buffy. Also, she's not exactly nice in this story. I really feel like in a lot of ways, Buffy regressed personality-wise as the show went on, as Cordelia progressed and this story reflects some of that. I really wanted to give Cordelia better closure than she got during her stint in Sunnydale, so this is my attempt at doing some of that. 
> 
> Also I just did my own thing with Glory, as when I wrote this originally I had no idea where that story was going on the show.

They say going back is never easy. That it should be avoided--let the past stay in the past and forge ahead with the future. You can't turn back time, so why waste more of it trying?

People say a lot of things. But most people didn't grow up on a Hellmouth. Most people don't spend all their lives fighting the forces of darkness. In fact, most people spend their lives denying that those forces even exist.

So when people say that you can't go home again, they're wrong. Because what applies to most people...almost never applies to everyone.

***

Cordelia clutched the steering wheel tightly and stared at the road in front of her. The sun was nearly set, which meant she should be arriving in Sunnydale just in time for all the vampires to have a shot at making her an all-you-can-eat-smorgasbord. As if they hadn't had enough chances when she was in high school.

She tried to push aside the growing amount of dread she felt in her stomach. She wished she'd been able to get a hold of Wesley or Angel so she didn't have to do this alone.

Wouldn't it be ironic if she had managed to escape the Hellmouth once, just to return in order to save someone else and wind up getting killed?

Yeah, that would be hilarious, she thought sourly, then she shoved that thought aside.

She had never intended on going back to Sunnydale once she'd left. There was nothing and no one there for her to go back to. Her parents had left town to avoid a prison sentence for cheating on their taxes. And while she and Willow occasionally chatted on the phone or via emial, it was mostly about demons and prophecies, not personal stuff. So it wasn't like she had a lot of friends there. Or any.

And then there was the Xander factor.

Not going there, either, Cordelia thought with a grimace.

She drew in a deep breath as she spotted the all-too-familiar sign up ahead.

Welcome to Sunnydale.

She was home.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Xander Harris looked around the dark sewer tunnels. "Buffy, I kind of have a feeling that Glory isn't a sewers-type-of-girl."

Willow Rosenburg sighed. "I told you I should have cast that locating spell."

"Will, the spell would have taken thirty minutes. Dawn is missing now. There's no time to lose." Buffy walked ahead of them, determined.

Xander and Willow exchanged a look and followed close behind, both clutching a stake in one hand and a cross in the other.

"So what's the plan?" Xander asked cautiously.

"We find Dawn. I kill Glory," Buffy replied without hesitation.

"That didn't work the last time, remember?" Xander reminded her.

"Yeah, Buffy, we don't know what she is. How are you going to kill her? If Tara's right and she's been around for thousands of years...we don't know anything about her, I mean, the research hasn't turned up anything," Willow said worriedly.

"Guys, just focus on getting Dawn. Leave Glory to me."

"That'd be great if we knew where she was," he said quietly to Willow.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cordelia gripped a stake in her right hand and slung her duffel bag over her shoulder as she climbed out of Angel's car. Her heart was pounding double-time and she rolled her eyes in disgust. Okay, granted. She didn't want to be here. But Cordelia Chase was *not* going to allow her fear of seeing the Scooby Gang prevent her from doing what she came here to do.

She straightened her shoulders and walked confidently towards the cemetery, tilting her chin up slightly, as though daring something to attack her. She spotted the old crypt immediately and started the short trek towards it. It was the nearest and easiest entrance to the sewer tunnels that wound beneath the town.

"I'll be damned. Look who it is."

Cordelia paused mid-step and then turned to see Spike smirking at her, puffing on a cigarette. "Spike," she said cautiously.

"Where's Peaches? He in town?"

"Nope." She turned to go.

"What are you doing here? Back to see the Slayer's other little lapdog?"

Cordelia's eyes narrowed but she didn't give him the satisfaction of a look. "No. I'm not here to see Xander. And with any luck I won't."

"That's good. He's dating an ex-demon these days. Still panting after Buffy, though." He fell into step with her.

She was surprised at the stab of pain she felt at his words, but she quickly buried it. "Good for him. Bye."

"What? Doesn't that piss you off? No bitchy comeback? What happened to you?" Spike demanded, frowning.

She stopped and faced him. "Look, I'm not here on a social call. I'm here because Buffy's sister is in trouble. Some blond woman's going to kill her if I don't get there first."

"Dawn's in trouble? How would you bloody know?"

"I had a vision. It's a long story." Cordelia reached for the crypt handle and let out a startled cry as she was suddenly thrown to the ground, pinned down by a very ugly demon with sharp teeth.

Less than a second later, Spike grabbed it and slammed it up against the side of the crypt. Cordelia scrambled to her feet and reached for her duffel bag to pull out her axe, but before she even had a chance to grasp it, Spike had snapped the thing's neck.

Cordelia stared at him.

"What?" he asked defensively.

"Thank you."

He stared at her for a moment, confused. "Uh...yeah. Sure." Spike followed her into the crypt.

"You coming?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"No. Staying here to keep watch." He sat down on the concrete tomb.

"All right, Spike. See ya."

"Don't get killed," he called after her as she walked into the sewers. She couldn't help the smile that crept onto her lips as she headed off to the dark underground.

***

Cordelia hated sewers.

And she hated rats even more. So when one scuttled over her shoes, she barely managed to suppress a scream. She shuddered in revulsion and picked up her speed.

What she wouldn't give right now to be curled up in bed asleep, warm and safe from demons and vampires and other creepy-crawlies.

Why hadn't she tried to talk Spike into coming along? Granted, he was a soul-less vampire, but he had some kind of chip in his head that wouldn't allow him to hurt humans. And he had saved her from that demon back there.

Of course, that didn't mean he'd do it again. Maybe he'd just been feeling charitable, or…violent. And besides that, he was the same vampire who had kidnapped and tortured Angel just a year ago.

She frowned deeply at the memory. A sudden whimpering sound in the tunnel to her left made her freeze. She heard a distant male voice, then the whimpering again.

Cordelia moved silently down the tunnel until she was standing at the mouth of the underground cavern she'd seen in her vision. She spotted Dawn almost immediately. Her arms were chained to the wall above her head and she was whimpering as a vampire hovered in front of her. The blond woman from her vision was nowhere in sight, and neither were Buffy, Willow or Xander.

Cordelia gripped the stake in her hand more tightly as she crossed the cavern without a noise.

"She said not to kill you. But that doesn't mean I can't have a little taste," the vampire informed Dawn, snarling. He bared his fangs and Dawn struggled as he grabbed her hair and moved his mouth toward her neck.

Before he had a chance to bite, Cordelia plunged the stake into his back. "Have a nice trip to hell," she said grimly as he exploded into dust.

Dawn stared at her wide-eyed. "Cordy!"

Cordelia smiled at her. "Hey, Dawn. Hold on a sec and I'll get you out of here." She reached into her duffel bag and pulled out her battle ax.

She took a deep breath and swung it at the chains above Dawn's hands. It only took three strikes before the metal gave way and split. Dawn threw her arms around Cordelia's waist and hugged her tightly.

"When did you get back? Are you here for good?"

"I got back awhile ago, but I'm not staying. Come on, we have to get you out of here." Cordelia grabbed her hand and started pulling her towards the exit.

At that moment their path was blocked by three huge vampires. She instantly backed up and handed Dawn the bag. "There's a cross and some Holy water in there. Hurry!"

Cordelia gripped her ax and glared at the approaching vamps. "Okay. Who wants to see a nice beheading today?" she demanded.

One of them grinned at her. "Love to. Yours, of course."

"Not a chance," Dawn informed them, pulling out the cross and moving to Cordelia's side, holding it out towards them.

They snarled but didn't come any closer.

"Looks like we have a stand off. Why don't you move out of the way before I turn you into a big pile of dust?" Cordelia suggested.

Before the vamps could respond, a voice screamed, "Dawn!"

Without thinking, Dawn turned to see Buffy, Xander and Willow a few feet away, and when she turned, she automatically lowered the cross.

That was all it took. Two of the vampires tackled Cordelia while the third one grabbed Dawn.

Cordelia hit the ground so hard the wind was knocked out of her, and the ax slipped out of her hand. One of the vampires snarled and leaned in to bite her neck while the other held her hands pinned above her head.

"Two against one. That's a little unfair, don't you think?" she heard Xander say, and one of the vampires was thrown off of her.

She struggled for breath, brought her knees up to her chest and then managed to slam her feet hard enough against the other vampire's chest to send him flying back into the wall.

She quickly scrambled off the ground and looked around her. Four more vampires had come in and were waiting for a turn at the Slayer. Willow and Xander were both fighting with the vampire he'd pulled of Cordelia. Dawn was cowered in the corner, watching with wide eyes.

Cordelia grabbed her ax off the floor and turned just in time to behead the vampire rushing towards her. Then she ran over to Dawn and grabbed her hand. "Come on," she urged.

"We can't just leave them!" Dawn said fearfully.

"Listen to me. Buffy is the Slayer. She can handle this. We have to get you out of here." Cordelia pulled her towards the tunnel she'd came in through. She hoped she was right and that the others would be okay. Her vision hadn't shown them dying, just Dawn. Getting her out safely had to be Cordelia's first priority.

They were halfway down the tunnel and out of sight from the cavern when a high-pitched voice shrieked, "Where is my prisoner?"

The shrill cry sent a chill down Cordelia's spine. "Who is that?"

"Buffy said her name's Glory. We don't know anything about her," Dawn said, a tear running down her cheek.

Cordelia bit her lip and turned to look behind her. To her horror, there was a bright blue light illuminating back from the cavern.

That couldn't be a good thing.

"Dawn, I need you to listen to me very carefully. I want you to take this cross and this bottle of Holy water and run down this tunnel. Then turn right and keep running until you reach the stairs. They'll take you up until you reach the crypt. Spike's up there. Stay with him and tell him if he doesn't protect you I'll send Angel after him, okay?"

"What about you? And the others?'

"I'm going back to help them. Run, Dawn. Now!" Cordelia watched as Buffy's sister turned and ran away as fast as she could.

Then with a deep breath, Cordelia turned and headed back for the cavern.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Xander swallowed hard and stared as Glory began glowing blue. This was weird. He'd seen a lot of things since learning Buffy Summers was a vampire slayer, but this certainly fell under a new category of weirdness.

He could feel his heart reverberating in his chest as he stood perfectly still. Buffy and Glory stared at one another, both unflinching and deadly still. And if that wasn't scary enough on its own right, all the vampires suddenly fled.

"Slayer, where's my prisoner?" Glory demanded shrilly again.

Xander ventured a glance around the room and then nudged Willow. "Where is Dawn?"

She shook her head slightly. "She must have gotten away with that girl that was helping her."

"Silence!" Glory screamed, turning to look at them, pure rage in her eyes.

Xander and Willow instantly shut up, paralyzed by a sudden onslaught of fear.

Buffy moved forward. "Can we fight now?"

Glory threw her head back and laughed, a strange, high-pitched sound the vaguely resembled a hyena. And Xander would know. "You think you can take me alone, you pitiful girl?"

"Hey," Xander said, insulted. He found himself unable to move again as Glory stared directly at him.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" another voice said suddenly.

Xander's eyes widened. It couldn't be.

But when Glory looked away from him, he found he was able to move again and he turned to see the person who had spoken.

Sure enough, Cordelia Chase stood not twenty feet away from him.

And she was pissed.

* * *

Cordelia glared at the blond woman, who at the moment was glowing an interesting shade of electric blue. "First of all, I don't appreciate you trying to kill one of the only people in this town that I actually like. And second of all, I was in the middle of a long distance phone call with a good friend of mine!" She put her hands on her hips, and out of the corner of her eye, she saw Buffy sneaking up behind the woman, whose attention right now was solely on Cordelia.

She took a step forward. "Do you have any idea what it's like to be having a conversation with someone when WAM! Suddenly you're having this God-awful, mind-splitting vision? And what is up with that outfit? You look like some guest off Jerry Springer!" she said, wrinkling her nose in distaste.

The woman looked down at her incredibly short red leather dress.

"The shoes don't go either. So last year," Cordelia informed her. "And, hello? The Smurf look is very unbecoming!"

Buffy chose that moment to attack the woman, who suddenly let out a loud growl.

Cordelia watched in shock as she vanished from the cavern and Buffy landed on the ground with a thud and a stunned look on her face. Then she looked up at Cordelia.

Cordelia stood still for a moment, then turned to see Xander and Willow staring at her, as well. "Hi."

Without a word, Buffy stood up. "Where's Dawn?"

"She's with Spike."

"She's…what?" Buffy said in disbelief. "You left her with Spike? God, grow a brain sometime, would you?" Buffy raced past her, nearly knocking her over in the process.

Cordelia turned and hurried after her, feeling anger rise up within her.

When they reached the crypt, Dawn was sitting on one end of the concrete tomb, and Spike on the other.

"Hey, look! Nobody got dead!" Spike said enthusiastically. "Any leftover demons to kill?"

"Just you, Spike," Buffy muttered as she moved to her sister's side. "Dawn, are you okay?"

Dawn smiled. "Yeah, thanks to Cordelia."

"Hey, I guarded you, didn't I?" Spike asked defensively.

"Only because Cordelia threatened to send Angel after you," Dawn shot back.

"Like I'm bloody afraid of that nancy boy," he grumbled.

Cordelia smirked but didn't say anything.

Buffy turned around to face her. "Can we talk please? Outside?'

"Uh-oh. Slayer versus the cheerleader. Bets on who'll win?" Spike asked Dawn, Xander and Willow, who had finally caught up with them.

Cordelia used all the self-control she could muster and followed the blond Slayer outside of the crypt and into the cemetery.

"What are you doing here? Did you know what was going on? Are you working with Glory?"

"God, Buffy, paranoid much? I'm here because I had a vision of Dawn in trouble. I saved your asses back there so don't accuse me of working with that bitch!" Cordelia snapped.

"Couldn't help but notice the similarities between the two of you. Your attitudes, the way you dress. Although," Buffy paused and eyed Cordelia's sweatshirt and ragged jeans. "I think her fashion sense is a bit better than yours tonight."

Cordelia stared at her. This was the thanks she got for saving Dawn's life? For putting her own life at risk to save all of their lives? She didn't have to take this. Not from anyone, especially not Buffy Summers.

She turned and walked towards Angel's car.

Buffy wouldn't let it go. She followed her. "What? Giving up your chance to reign as Supreme Bitch once more? That's not the Cordelia Chase I know."

Cordelia stopped mid-step. "Let's get something straight, Buffy. You never knew me to start with."

"Oh, we all knew you. You made everyone miserable. Especially Xander."

That did it.

Cordelia faced her. "And what about you, Buffy? You're the one who ruined Angel's life. I watched him brood over you for a year while you were screwing around with your new boy-toy. Well, guess what? Buffy's-Reign-of-Terror has finally ended. He doesn't brood over you anymore."

Buffy's eyes narrowed. "You spiteful, trampy little bitch. How dare you-"

"Tell the truth? Yeah, I never was any good at tact, remember?"

"You were never good at anything," Buffy replied coolly. "You were a waste of time and a waste of space, and I'm sure Angel only keeps you around out of pity. We all threw a party when you left town. And Xander partied the hardest of all."

Involuntary tears stung her eyes. "Well, guess what, Buffy. I'm going back to L.A. to my friends now. You, on the other hand, can go to hell. Oh, wait. You're already there."

Without another word, Cordelia turned around and walked away from her, not bothering to look back. She climbed into Angel's car and started it with a shaky hand. She pulled onto the main road out of Sunnydale and sped out of town as fast as she could.

Cordelia cried all the way back to L.A.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Xander rocked back and forth on his heels, unable to stand still. When Buffy returned a moment later, Cordelia wasn't with her.

"Where's Cordelia?" Dawn asked.

"She went back to L.A. where she belongs," Buffy informed her tensely.

"Uh-oh. What happened?" Willow asked in concern.

"Nothing. We just had unfinished business. Dawn, let's go home."

Xander watched as Buffy and Dawn left. Then he turned to Spike. "I need your car."

Spike snorted. "Not gonna happen."

Xander narrowed his eyes and grabbed him by the collar. "Give me your car keys. Now."

"She doesn't want you running after her."

"Xander, Spike's right. Buffy and Dawn need time with their mom right now," Willow said gently.

"Not going after Buffy, Will." He shook Spike. "I mean it, Spike. I'll stake you and take your car anyway."

"You're going after Cordelia?" Willow stared at him wide-eyed.

"Bloody hell. Watch the coat, you blood pouf." Spike glared at him, but reached into his pocket and handed him the car keys. "If you wreck it-"

Xander didn't let him finish his sentence. He let him go and ran for the door.

"Want me to come with?" Willow asked.

"No. Buffy's not the only one who has unfinished business with Cordelia. I need to do this alone."

Willow looked at him doubtfully. "Xander, be careful. And be nice! She saved our lives!" she called after him.

She sighed and then looked at Spike. "Walk me home?"

"Sure, Red." He jumped off the tomb and followed her out the door.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cordelia washed her face in the bathroom sink. Her eyes were red and slightly swollen from crying. She looked like hell.

"Thank you very much, Buffy," she muttered bitterly.

A box of Kleenex floated over to her and she blew her nose. "Thanks, Dennis. Hey, do me a favor, if God-forbid, I should ever mention going to Sunnydale again, throw a chair at me or something, okay?" She sighed and blotted away another round of tears.

She didn't regret going back. After all, she'd saved Dawn's life and probably three more, to boot. But next time, she was definitely handing the assignment to Angel or Wesley. Even if she had to track them down and beg.

Okay, maybe not the begging part.

But still.

The knock on her door made her temper flare. Where the hell had they been tonight, anyway? She was vision girl, not Superwoman.

She stomped out of the bathroom and down the hall. "Okay, so whatever excuse you two have for not being around tonight is so not good enough!" she shouted at the closed door as she moved toward it. "We are talking weeks, and maybe even months of groveling here, boys. And Angel, I think I've earned that pay raise we've been talking-" she ranted as she pulled open the door.

Cordelia froze.

"Hey, Cordy," Xander Harris said tentatively.


End file.
